Arthur Griffiths & Susannah Gatchell

St James Cathedral 
Arthur was the Father of Harry Edwin who was one of nine known children. Arthur was [B]1822
In Walespool Montgomeryshire, Wales. Arthur married Susannah Gatchell who was [B] July 23, 1828 in County Kildare Ireland.  Susan’s parents were Nathan [b] 1800 Ireland and Anne (Toomey) Gatchell [b] Jun 18, 1803 Ireland. Arthur’s and Susan’s parents could have departed from a shipping port via Liverpool England around the mid-1830s. 

 The Irish Famine (1845–1849) brought a large number of Irish into the city in 1847, Toronto's population stood at 20,000. That summer 38,000 Irish immigrants fleeing the Great Famine landed in Toronto, forever changing the city.  Arthur and Susan [m] August 19, 1847 at St James Cathedral in York (Toronto) as per church records. 

Above is from an unknown newspaper notice posted on the 27th of August [Ancestry.ca]. By 1850 they had moved from Toronto and were now living in Aurora. The census of 1851 shows Arthur as a Stone mason and along with Susan they state their religion as Church of England. They had their first child in Dec. 1851, Harry Edwin who continues this tree. 1871 records show Arthur as a Saddler, or a Saddle maker and probably working in Aurora. In 1890 records show Arthur was into Flour & Feed and Susan as a dressmaker. Susan [d] Oct 15, 1900 and Arthur [d] Jan. 22, 1904 and they are both buried in the Aurora cemetery.

Harry Edwin Griffiths

Harry Edwin Griffiths

1^st Born   of   Arthur & Susannah

Harry is the first of this generation that was born in Canada. Following is about Harry Edwin including the times in which he grew up in, his marriage and his family. This is the start of the tree that expands with his five children that would carry on his lineage.

Harry Edwin Griffiths was [b] in Dec. 24, 1851 in Ontario as a Catholic.  In 1874 at the age of 23, Harry began his novice training as a Mounted Constable for the North West Mounted Police. After completing four years training he was discharged on May 31st, 1879.  On the back of discharge paper it states Harry was 5’8” with a 34” chest, blue eyes, and fair hair.

1874 was also the year Alexander Graham Bell would display his new invention, the telephone, to his own family on the outskirts of Brantford, Ontario on July 26.

In 1879 after leaving the Mounties at the age of 27 Harry became a Harness maker as stated on the 1891 census. It is recorded he lived in Yorkville area in the late 1880s. Toronto's horse-drawn streetcar operations ended in 1891 as the electrical was the new era. Milk and bread deliveries by horse ended about 1915 in Toronto which started bringing the trade for harness makers limited. During the First World War horses helped move artillery but that came to an end with the war.

Harry Edwin at 28 [m] Jun 9^th, 1880 to a 24 year old Belinda Smith at the Cathedral Church of St. James Anglican in Toronto. The ceremony was performed by Richard W. E. Greene, Assistant St. James, in 1880

Belinda (Smith) Griffiths

The 1861 census shows Bella as she was also known; the daughter of Henry & Jane Smith was [b] Feb 10, 1856. Henry & Jane had six children after settling from Ireland around the 1840s as members of the Church of England, Anglicans. They may have come over during the Potato Famine of 1848. It was believed that Belinda became an outcast from her rich Irish family for marring Harry, a lower class Catholic Welshman, who was not up to her parents’ standards or religion. Her father gave her a house in the city of Toronto and cut her from any family inheritance. She lived in that house till her [d] on Nov 5, 1930 at an age of 74. A Toronto Anglican Bishop (Bishop Snell) would visit her on a regular basis during her final years. Belinda refused to go to her own children’s weddings if it was held in a Catholic Church. The picture above was taken in her home circa 1880s at 133 Lisgar Street off Queen near Dovercourt in Toronto.

Harry Edwin Arthur Griffiths [b] 1886

 Was [b] July 17, 1886 in Aurora. Harry as he was known married an Irish girl from Cobourg by the name of Mary Effie Hand [b]Oct 7, 1885.

At St Michael’s church in Cobourg Northumberland Ontario they [m] on Sept 28 1910. Together they raised five children in Toronto.

Harry E. A. became a plumber and started his own business in Toronto called “H. Griffiths Plumbing and Heating” in 1912 located at 1128 College Street.

In 1916 Harry and his family lived at 19 Wydham Street in Toronto. The business would be controlled later by his son Bill and succeeded by his children a next generation of owners. Harry died September 10, 1960 at 74 and was buried in Aurora. Mary died May 6, 1976 in Toronto at 91.

 CHILDREN

Naomi Eleanor, John Henry Edward, Irene Margaret, Paul Gerrard, Mary Elizabeth.

Table of Contents

Arthur Griffiths
& Susannah Gatchell

This section explains the origin from Ireland and Wales. They had nine children, the list of dates for birth, marriages, and death is limited to the records by province of Ontario.  Listed are the children of Arthur & Susan with some details. Other than Harry, these siblings are noted with their children only not extended generations.
...............................................................See 1822 Arthur Griffiths

1800s Walespool Montgomeryshire, Wales

Griffiths origin from Wales to Canada

 ................................................................................  See Places of interest

1800s Aurora

The Griffiths Canadian Homestead early settlement 

................................................................................  See Places of interest

Harry Edwin Griffiths & Belinda Smith

Harry is the first generation born in Canada and had five children to carry on his lineage. Included are the times they lived in listing occupations and events. This is the start of this tree after his parents.

................................................................................ See 1851 Harry Edwin

 

1881 Henrietta Gertrude Griffiths (1)

Gertrude as she was known is the first generation of Harry & Belinda

................................................................................ See 1851 Harry Edwin

Henrietta Gertrude Griffiths 1881

Henrietta Gertrude Griffiths [b] Oct 26, 1881 the oldest of the clan. The 1911 census shows that she still lived at home at the age of 30, but it is believed that she may have become a street person after that of her own free will.

You have to keep in mind that when the census was taken before WWI (1914- 1919) which was followed in years with the Great Depression of 1929. It was in 1930 that Belinda died and it may have been around this time she hit the streets. Gertrude was a true red head was never to marry or have children according to Irene (Griffiths) Kennedy, daughter to Harry E.A. Griffiths.
She [d]1957 as a bag lady at an age of 71. It is said she is buried at Mt Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto with Belinda and Uncle Robert Smith (Plot M Section 37 Lot 16). It is said she was buried by the financial aid of her brothers. The only name on the stone that is in bad shape is R. Smith.

 

 

Catherine Griffiths [B] Sep 27, 1872,

Born in Aurora and Bruce Freeborn, [b] Feb15, 1872. They [m] Sep 28, 1899 a day after Kate’s 28th birthday. There are no records of when either of them passed away. Records do show that they had two daughters

CHILDREN

Violet Freeborn [b] Mar 21, 1900

Orba Freeborn [b] Jul 14, 1902

 [d] Nov 2, 1957 Redding, Shasta, California, USA